


The Making of the Werewolves

by IgnobleBard



Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Ficlet, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-06
Updated: 2011-07-06
Packaged: 2017-10-21 02:24:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/219859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IgnobleBard/pseuds/IgnobleBard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How Tol Sirion became Tol-in-Gaurhoth.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Making of the Werewolves

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Silmarillion Anniversary Contest 2007.

The song was magnetic, with intricate shadings of meaning, and the singer imbued each word with the power of his malevolent heart. Unto the singer were dreadful spirits drawn, from deep, shadowy places beneath the earth and sleepless, corrupted souls. Gathered and bound within a brazier of selenium and tin, in readiness for their dark awakening.

And Sauron, Master of Shadows and Commander of Angband, did call forth hunters and bid them ensnare and bring to him two great wolves, a he-wolf and she-wolf in the prime of their strength. The hunters rode out and the sound of horns and baying of dogs rang through the forest, but they returned not. So Sauron caused a net of strong weave to be fashioned and again hunters were sent forth. A great howling went up, growing ever closer, and the hunters returned at last with two wolves of deadly cunning and ferocity.

The great beasts lunged and snapped at the ropes that bound them but they could not free themselves. Sauron smiled to see their fury, for it would work well to his advantage. He had the wolves secured within the hall where the brazier stood, and Orcs taunted the beasts to madness as Sauron pressed the white-hot brands into their flesh. The wolves howled and shrieked but then, within their eyes, was a dire flame kindled, and it grew in awareness and fealty to the evil bent of its master.

The wolves rose up, casting off the nets that bound them, and fell upon the Orcs and slew them. Yet at Sauron's feet they fawned like cubs, the malice within their spirits an extension of their master's hand. Sauron loosed them again into the forest and bade them return with others of their kind. The werewolves ran silently into the grey mists and in the fullness of time returned with a great number of beasts like unto themselves.

Of these, Sauron chose the strongest to be his lieutenants in the guarding of his fortress upon Tol Sirion, the most cunning to work their dark ways within the forests, slaying and spreading their contagion to fairer beasts, children of Nessa, who yet dwelt there. But the cruelest he fed upon the flesh of his thralls, Elves and Men, until they would suffer no other nourishment to pass their lips.

Thus did Sauron hold the pass at Sirion with the power of his will and the might of his werewolves, looking out from his great watchtower to espy the comings and goings all who would challenge Morgoth; and so did Tol Sirion come to be called Tol-in-Gaurhoth.


End file.
